Play, No Work
by Kisuru-chan
Summary: Eli is always so stressed, so Nozomi decides they need a silly snowball fight before school. [Fandom Stocking 2016 gift for yukimats]


**A/N:** Written as a Fandom Stocking 2016 gift for yukimats. 

* * *

"When we get to the Student Council room, Principle Minami handed me many documents about the club yesterday," Eli informed Nozomi. She tugged at her muffler and pulled closer around her neck for warmth. "We have to write, stamp, and…"

Nozomi watched Eli's lips move, her posture as she walked. Eli was especially beautiful in the halo of morning snowfall and early morning lamplight.

But Nozomi could see the strain Eli was under.

Stress lines pulled at Eli's forehead. Her mouth pressed into a frown, deep and grave and exhausted. The winter always made her a little on edge, but Nozomi had seen her nerves crash and burn these last few weeks, the winter before graduating.

Wanting the best for Eli came first to Nozomi. She hated it when she went long periods of time without smiling, or looking up from her work, or brushing aside Honoka's insistence to work on practice when she had about a million deadlines coming up.

Nozomi continued to watch, green eyes shimmering.

She knew what she had to do to fix this.

"Elicchi!" Nozomi suddenly cried out. Realizing her voice carried in an echo, she sheepishly blushed.

Eli jumped and stopped. "Huh—what is it, Nozomi?"

Nozomi knelt down and scooped up a pile of snow in her hands. She crunched it up into a ball and held it up to show Eli. "Let's have a snowball fight!"

Confusion spread across Eli's features. If anything, she appeared more stressed than a minute ago.

"Snowball fights are for kids…" Eli nervously pointed out. She shouldered her back, knee pointedly aimed at Otonokizaka High School's tall rooftop down the street.

Nozomi would not let that weakness slide. Eli would do anything to wriggle her way out of this and get herself into the Student Council room and bury her nose in paperwork for an hour. Not under Nozomi's keen eye would get away with that offense!

"No way!" Nozomi juggled the snowball in her hand. The coldness seeped through the blue glove to her fingers, and this only motivated her spirits more. "First one to reach the school wins. And the person who gets hit the most has to buy the other lunch."

Eli stepped back a little. She seemed to weigh her decision, eyes roaming back and forth to the school building in the distance to her best friend's gaze.

Nozomi chucked it straight at Eli's face.

Eli squealed and covered her face. She brushed it all off her nose and cheeks, clearly not amused.

Nozomi was already ten steps ahead of her. She waved over her shoulder and winked. "I hope you don't mind braving the food carts for me, Elicchi!"

Anyone who knew the school's food carts would explain that it was hectic at lunch time. Nozomi could vouch for this whenever μ's had a special brand of treat sold to the student body. Their classmates would go crazy pushing each other out of the way.

"W—Wait!" Eli scrambled to catch up with Nozomi's brisk pace, school bag flying behind her as she ran.

Eli chased her. Nozomi managed to three whole snowballs in the time it took her to catch up, and every one hit Eli dead center. Eli tried valiantly to dodge her but fell prey to Nozomi each time.

"You'll have to do better than that," Nozomi called, stopping in front of a signpost. She was so far ahead it was pitiful, but she could be lenient. "I'll give you a five second regrouping! Hurry, Elicchi!"

Nozomi pumped her fists and pointed at the snow.

Eli, feet away, looked as though she was torn between a rock and a hard place. But she took her chance and dived in for the snow. The snowball zigzagged at Nozomi and she promptly dodged.

"Elicchi, that was weak," Nozomi complained.

"Hey, I tried—" Eli started. Seeing Nozomi's triumph, something built in her expression from stoic passiveness to a burning passion. She rounded up another snowball and threw it with all her might.

Nozomi, seeing while paying attention to Eli's gaze settle on her only, got hit directly in the nose.

Nozomi swiped at her face. The snow was cold, but Eli had thrown it with fire. "I knew you had it in you!"

The faintest twist of Eli's mouth came into view, but she didn't let the floods burst. She smirked slightly.

"I had to. You didn't give me a choice," Eli said.

But Nozomi was off again, and the two actually managed a small match along the way. Eli put up some good moves but Nozomi still had her beat.

When the time of them arrived panting to the school gates, Eli was covered in the most snow head to foot. Nozomi's hair had taken the brunt of the snow fire.

The final score of hits was: Eli 8, Nozomi 20.

Nozomi hung onto the gate door for a minute. She wiped the snow off her clothes and examined Eli for her damage. Of course, Eli had lost the game.

But Nozomi noticed that she wasn't as stiff as before.

"Wow, there's even a lot of snow there," Nozomi said, pointing to Eli's chest. The powdery snow dotted the front of her jacket and clung to the fibers.

Eli's reddened cheeks only seemed to redden more. She produced another snowball from behind her and it sailed straight into Nozomi's green eyes.

Nozomi screamed in shock, arms covering her face.

Okay, the final _final_ score was: Eli 9, Nozomi 20.

"Elicchi, I was joking! And you're stealthier than I took you for… I still win!" After all, she had all the right to boast about victory. Nozomi wiped the snow from her eyes and hunched over in laughter. She looked up, a teasing look in her eye. "But I couldn't pass up the chance to mention that, obviously…"

Elli turned her back. She had to show a dignity, so stood firm and tried not to give anything away.

She knew Nozomi was just joking with her. Nozomi was never shy, but Eli could still pretend.

"That's a lie." Eli covered her chest with her gloves and shook her head vigorously. She shivered, partly rejected and fighting down her smile at once. "You never joke when it comes to breasts, Nozomi."

"You have me there," Nozomi admitted.

Nozomi knelt down next to the pathway's edge and reached for a fluffy patch of snow. Eli watched her quizzically, once again, backing up again as though she were prepared for a not-so-sneak attack.

Nozomi shaped the snowball into an oval shape. She shouldered her bag down and took out a small box. She opened it. Rice and seaweed picked out, and she cut out two little pieces of seaweed, a plum, and tore off some pieces of fish.

The seaweed went where the ears would be. The fish pieces went where the eyes and mouth should be, and the plum in the middle as the nose.

Nozomi gauged Eli's reaction. She immediately narrowed her eyes at Nozomi's guilty expression and tapped her foot. It wasn't what she thought.

"See, we'll use this snow for good now. This little one will watch over the school for us today," she told Eli. She presented the snow bunny proudly. "Look, he's smiling at you! And he'll tell everyone with that smile when they walk past him, 'Do your best even if it's cold. I believe in you!' Or something like that."

Eli and Nozomi were usually early to school so it made sense. Many students still hadn't made it.

"You had a boxed lunch this whole time?" Eli pouted and looked away. She side-eyed the snow bunny's weird smile and her façade failed. She finally couldn't help but giggle. "You're awful, Nozomi."

Nozomi shrugged and grinned toothily, wagging her finger. She wouldn't be the mother of μ's without being thoughtful. "It wasn't for me. It was for you!"

Eli's sparkling blue eyes lit up. She frowned.

"It was for me…?" Startled at this, Eli's crossed arms fell to her sides. "Why you would you do that?"

Nozomi clucked her tongue. "Because Alisa-chan told me you've been running out every morning without getting your lunch lately! You've been so busy. She called to you, but you didn't hear."

Eli covered her hands over her face in raw embarrassment. She peeked through her fingers, hid, then sighed and dropped them again.

"I should have expected you two would work in tandem. I guess…" Eli swallowed. She glanced at the snow bunny with an adoring little look. She didn't even have to say how cute it as. "Let's take a short break from work and get warm tea to drink in the clubroom before our classes. I need to sit down."

Happiness blossomed in Nozomi's chest. Gently placing the snow bunny safely away from the path, she made sure it could be seen without anyone accidently hitting it with their foot. She was up before Eli could register the movement, and she snapped the lunch box closed with a decisive little snap.

"You deserve it!" Nozomi nodded, all praise.

Nozomi grabbed Eli's hand. Her fingers felt numb from all the snow digging and throwing, but the warmth from Eli's instantly warmed her palm.

Hand and hand, they walked into the school. Nozomi already knew today would be wonderfully exciting.


End file.
